Vaser Lipo Breast Lift vs Traditional Mastopexy: Which Technique Is Right for You?

If your breasts have changed in position or shape after pregnancy, weight loss or ageing, you may come across several different types of breast lift procedures.

Two options you may encounter are a Vaser Liposuction-based approach and traditional mastopexy.

They are not the same procedure. Vaser Liposuction primarily removes fatty tissue from the breast and may produce some tightening and change in breast position in suitable patients. Traditional mastopexy surgically removes excess skin, reshapes the breast and can reposition the nipple and areola.

Which approach may be appropriate depends on your breast composition, skin elasticity, the degree of sagging and what you want to change.

What causes sagging boobs?

Sagging boobs, or sagging breasts, can develop gradually as the skin and supporting tissues change over time.

The clinical term for sagging breasts is breast ptosis.

Common factors that can contribute include:

• Ageing
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Weight fluctuations
• Changes in breast volume
• Reduced skin elasticity
• Genetics
• Gravity over time

The amount of sagging can vary considerably.

For some people, the change is relatively mild. For others, there may be significant excess skin, downward movement of the breast tissue and a lower nipple position.

This distinction matters because a procedure that produces some tightening after fat removal is very different from surgery that physically removes excess skin.

What is a traditional breast lift?

A traditional breast lift is medically known as mastopexy.

It is designed to address sagging breasts by removing excess skin, reshaping the underlying breast tissue and, where required, repositioning the nipple and areola.

Different techniques can be used depending on how much sagging and excess skin are present.

These can include:

• Benelli or periareolar mastopexy
• Vertical mastopexy
• Wise pattern mastopexy

Traditional mastopexy may be considered when there is enough loose skin or breast sagging that removing fat alone is unlikely to provide the desired change.

What is a Vaser lipo breast lift?

The term “Vaser lipo breast lift” can be confusing because Vaser Liposuction is fundamentally a fat-removal procedure rather than a traditional breast lift.

Cosmos Clinic uses Vaser Liposuction for breast reduction in suitable patients.

During the procedure, ultrasound energy is used to assist in treating fatty tissue within the breast before that fat is removed through small incisions.

Removing breast fat reduces breast volume. The procedure may also result in some tissue contraction and tightening in suitable patients.

However, Vaser does not surgically remove significant amounts of loose breast skin in the same way as traditional mastopexy.

Vaser lipo breast lift vs traditional mastopexy

The main difference is what each procedure is designed to address.

Vaser Liposuction

Vaser primarily targets fatty tissue.

For someone with a significant proportion of fatty breast tissue and suitable skin elasticity, reducing breast volume may allow the skin and surrounding tissues to retract to some degree.

This can produce some change in breast shape and position.

The procedure uses small access incisions rather than the longer incision patterns associated with traditional breast lift surgery.

Traditional mastopexy

Traditional mastopexy directly addresses excess skin and sagging.

Skin is surgically removed, breast tissue can be reshaped and the nipple and areola can be repositioned.

This means traditional mastopexy may be more relevant when sagging boobs are primarily caused by loose or stretched skin rather than excess fatty breast volume.

Is Vaser a non surgical breast lift?

No.

Although people may search for a non surgical breast lift Sydney, Vaser Liposuction is still a surgical and invasive procedure.

Small incisions are required so the Vaser probe and liposuction cannula can be introduced beneath the skin.

It is more accurate to describe it as a liposuction-based breast procedure rather than a non-surgical breast lift.

The key difference from traditional mastopexy is that Vaser generally involves much smaller access incisions and does not remove large sections of excess breast skin.

Is there a non surgical breast lift for sagging boobs?

There are non-surgical treatments marketed for skin tightening, but they should not be assumed to produce the same change as breast lift surgery.

Traditional mastopexy physically removes loose skin and can reposition breast tissue and the nipple.

A non-surgical skin treatment cannot reproduce those surgical steps.

If you are researching a non surgical breast lift in Sydney, ask what the treatment is actually designed to change and whether it can realistically address the amount of breast sagging you have.

Can Vaser help sagging breasts?

This depends on why the breasts are sagging.

If the breasts contain a significant amount of fatty tissue and the skin has suitable elasticity, reducing breast volume with Vaser may result in some tightening and change in breast position.

However, if the main issue is significant loose or stretched skin, removing fat does not remove that excess skin.

In fact, removing breast volume where skin elasticity is poor needs to be considered carefully because the skin must be able to adapt to the reduction in volume.

An individual assessment is therefore important before deciding whether Vaser is appropriate.

When might traditional mastopexy be considered?

Traditional mastopexy may be considered when the primary concern is sagging breasts and excess skin.

This can include changes associated with:

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Significant weight loss
• Ageing
• Reduced skin elasticity
• Changes in breast volume

Because excess skin can be removed, traditional mastopexy can provide a more direct change in breast position than fat removal alone.

The appropriate breast lift technique depends on how much loose skin is present and the degree of repositioning required.

What is an internal bra breast lift?

An internal bra breast lift is a term used for techniques intended to provide additional internal support to breast tissue during breast surgery.

It is not one universally standardised procedure.

Depending on the technique, internal support may involve the patient’s own tissue, sutures or surgical material used to reinforce the breast internally.

An internal bra technique does not necessarily replace a traditional breast lift. It may instead form part of breast lift or other breast surgery in selected circumstances.

If you are considering an internal bra breast lift, ask exactly which technique is being proposed, what material is being used and why it may be appropriate for you.

Which option leaves smaller scars?

Vaser Liposuction generally requires small access incisions for the probe and cannula.

Traditional mastopexy requires larger incisions because excess skin needs to be surgically removed.

Depending on the technique, breast lift scars may be located:

• Around the areola
• Around the areola and vertically down the breast
• Around the areola, vertically down the breast and along the breast crease

However, choosing the procedure with the smallest scar does not necessarily mean choosing the procedure that best addresses the concern.

If loose skin is responsible for significant sagging, a procedure that does not remove that skin may provide a very different result.

Our guide to breast lift before and after results and scars explains incision patterns and how breast lift scars change during recovery.

Which procedure has a shorter recovery?

Recovery differs because the two procedures involve different surgical techniques.

Vaser breast procedures use smaller access incisions and primarily involve the removal of fatty tissue.

Traditional mastopexy involves skin removal, breast reshaping and longer surgical incisions, meaning wound healing and scar care form a larger part of recovery.

Individual recovery still varies considerably.

Your medical practitioner should provide instructions about returning to work, exercise, lifting and other activities based on the procedure you undergo.

What results can you expect?

The expected change depends on the procedure.

Vaser breast reduction primarily reduces fatty breast volume. In suitable patients, some tightening or change in breast position may also occur as the tissues adapt.

Traditional mastopexy provides a more direct approach to sagging breasts because excess skin can be removed and the breast and nipple repositioned.

Neither procedure stops future changes caused by ageing, pregnancy, weight fluctuations or changes in breast volume.

Our breast lift before and after guide explains what to look for when comparing results and how scars can change over time.

What if you want to add breast volume?

If sagging is accompanied by loss of breast volume, a lift or reduction may not address everything you want to change.

Breast fat transfer involves removing fat from another area of the body with liposuction, processing it and transferring suitable fat to the breasts.

Depending on the individual, fat transfer may be considered alongside another breast procedure.

Our guide to breast lift with fat transfer or reduction compares these options in more detail.

What if you are deciding between a breast lift and implants?

A breast lift and breast implants are designed to do different things.

A lift primarily addresses sagging, breast position and excess skin. Implants primarily add volume.

Someone with significant sagging may still require a breast lift even if they also want more volume.

Our guide to breast lift vs breast implants explains these differences in more detail.

How much does a breast lift cost?

Cost depends on which procedure is performed and the individual treatment plan.

At Cosmos Clinic, traditional breast lift surgery generally starts from around $12,000. The final cost can vary according to the technique, complexity of surgery and associated anaesthesia and facility fees.

For a more detailed breakdown, see our breast lift cost in Australia guide.

Vaser breast reduction is a different procedure and is priced accordingly. The cost depends on the amount of fatty tissue being treated, procedure complexity and associated fees.

An individual assessment is required before a personalised treatment plan and quote can be provided.

What about sagging breasts after pregnancy?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can change breast volume, skin elasticity, nipple position and overall breast shape.

For some people, sagging breasts are accompanied by changes elsewhere on the body, particularly around the abdomen.

A combination of procedures addressing post-pregnancy changes is sometimes called a mummy makeover.

There is no standard mummy makeover, and the procedures included depend on the individual.

Future pregnancy can also change the breasts again, so future pregnancy plans should be considered when deciding when to have breast surgery.

Vaser breast lift or traditional mastopexy?

The main question is not simply which technique is better. It is what is causing the appearance you want to change.

If excess fatty breast volume is a major factor and the skin has suitable elasticity, a Vaser-based breast reduction may be considered.

If significant loose skin and sagging are the main concerns, traditional mastopexy provides a different type of correction because excess skin can be removed and the breast and nipple can be repositioned.

If sagging is combined with loss of volume, another procedure such as fat transfer may also need to be considered.

An appropriately qualified medical practitioner can assess your breast composition, skin quality and degree of sagging before explaining which procedures may be suitable.

All surgical and invasive procedures carry risks. Results vary between individuals. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

This article is general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual suitability and results vary and should be assessed by a qualified medical practitioner.